The Hand That Ricks The Cradle
by LittleMissMuppet
Summary: Somewhere out there, there is a Smith family with a third child...and she may be just what the Council of Ricks needs...
1. Chapter 1

**I'm baaaaaaack!**

 **After a much-too-long hiatus, I am back to writing again! While I'm getting back on track with my other stories, please enjoy the first chapter of my long-awaited Rick and Morty project!**

 **Don't own a thing of Rick and Morty. And ain't it a shame...**

* * *

Beth's hand shook as her eyes pored over the two little lines over and over and over again.

Pregnant.

She was pregnant again.

No. No no no no no no no. This was NOT supposed to happen. The plan was "stop at two kids and be a happy and tight-knit family until Morty leaves for college".

Beth dropped the pregnancy test. Her ears rang as it hit the floor with several resounding _clacks_. She was so flustered and overcome with such conflicting emotions that she felt like marching up to God and demanding to know where in that plan did it say "have a third child after drunkenly making do with a broken condom"?

She leaned against the closed door of the bathroom and slowly slid to the floor, drawing her knees up. She stopped before they could touch her chest.

She looked down and put her shaking hands on her tummy. _There was a person in there. She made another person._ The exact same thought she had when she found out she was pregnant with Summer and again with Morty. But this time she was not filled with euphoria and a giddy feeling in her heart. As ashamed as she was to admit it to herself, this time Beth thought about her newfound pregnancy and it filled her with absolute _dread_.

And she knew that wasn't a normal way to feel, but most women she knew who were happy about being pregnant were the ones that had planned it.

Morty just turned six and Summer was nine. That was going to be a pretty significant age gap between them and the baby. Would they even _want_ a new baby brother or sister? Images of those "pregnancy announcement gone wrong" videos Beth saw on the Internet flashed in her mind; those siblings who burst into angry tears when their parents shared the happy news.

What would her husband Jerry say? He knew about the condom malfunction situation, too, but nothing more had been said about the matter afterwards. Would he be happy to have another baby? Or would he share in his wife's terror?

What would her dad say…oh god, her dad…

Telling Jerry and the kids turned out to be easier than she anticipated. Later that evening, Summer and Morty were in the living room fighting over toys and turn-taking, per the norm, and Jerry loudly proclaimed from the couch, "Thank God we're not having any more kids!" Beth had blushed and inadvertently blurted out the news from the kitchen. While Jerry did share his wife's initial shock, the kids immediately abandoned their arguments in favor of cheering. Summer instantly began to pray for a girl, and Morty rejoiced in the knowledge that he would no longer be the youngest.

Beth and Jerry had a long talk after the kids were in bed. Yes, they were keeping this baby. Yes, it would be their last one. No, Rick didn't know yet…

Jerry fell asleep with an arm curled protectively around Beth's tummy. Accident or not, this baby was his child and he intended to love and guard him or her just as much as he did with his other two.

Beth barely slept. She spent an hour internally debating whether or not she should tell her dad, then the better part of the rest of the night trying to figure out how.

She hadn't seen or heard from him since Morty was a baby. He had stayed for a day and interacted with the kids. Morty seemed to attach to him rather quickly. He stayed for dinner and through bedtime, then he was gone again. God only knew where he was now. He'd left a note with a phone number but no forwarding address. Beth was angry and hurt that he had up and left again without saying goodbye and she just never had the heart to call. She knew the first thing out of her mouth would be "When are you coming back?" when he answered. _If_ he answered…

She got up around 4 am and wandered to the kitchen. Jerry and the kids were still sleeping. As quietly as she could, she dug through the drawers until she found what she was looking for: the scrap of paper on which her father had scrawled his phone number before leaving five years ago. It had been angrily shoved to the back of the junk drawer and hadn't been touched since.

Beth sat at the kitchen table, holding the phone number in one hand and covering her mouth to muffle any sobs that dared to escape with the other. For the first time in years, she actually wanted to call her father, but she wasn't ready to handle the potential heartbreak if the number was disconnected, or if the person on the other end wasn't her dad, or if it _was_ her dad and he just didn't answer.

She flipped the scrap of paper over. Instead of an address, Rick had written a half-assed apology:

 _Sorry, sweetie, gotta hit the road. I got business to take care of. I'm glad I got to meet my grandkids, I really am. But it's just not safe for me to stay. I don't expect you to understand. I just hope you can forgive me. Call me anytime. I love you.  
-Dad_

The first time Beth read those words, her heart was shattered and she was filled with rage. Now she oddly took comfort in them. She was holding a piece of the dad she loved and missed so much in her hand. Maybe that's why she hadn't thrown it away. Maybe it was the little girl waiting for her daddy to come home inside of her that convinced the rest of her to hold onto it.

The longer she sat, the further away she felt her fear to call him drifting. He was going to be a grandfather again. Something told her he deserved to know.

After nearly a half hour of deliberation, Beth had thrown on a bathrobe and a pair of loafers and was standing on the back porch, the phone to her ear, hoping and praying that her dad would pick up. The hand that wasn't holding the phone was clasped to her chest, shaking harder than it did when she read that pregnancy test. Every ring seemed to squeeze her chest tighter.

One ring…two rings…three rings…four rings…

 _"Hello?"_ came a sleepy voice from the other end. A sleepy voice that was familiar. So familiar Beth wasn't sure if she was going to scream, cry, pass out, or all of the above.

"Dad?" she squeaked without meaning to squeak.

A pause. Beth's heart seized.

 _"Beth?"_

Her insides settled almost to what felt like the point of liquidation. "Yeah, Dad, it's me. I need to tell you something."

* * *

 **Hope this was worth the wait! More to come, hopefully soon!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 is up and running! Thank you all for the lovely reviews! I'm so happy to see such positive reception and eagerness for more!**

 **Don't own a damn thing of Rick and Morty. Ain't it tragic.**

* * *

The phone ringing grated on Rick's ears like auditory sandpaper. He'd barely collapsed into his lumpy and uncomfortable bed a half hour ago.

Rolling over, he shuddered at the feeling of his sweat-coated sheets against his shirtless skin ( _why the hell didn't Birdperson have A/C anyway?_ ) and moaned at the sudden pounding of an oncoming hangover headache worsened by the unwelcome aural stimulation of the phone, the moan turning into a groan when he saw the time. _Who the fuck would be calling at 4:30 in the goddamn morning?_

Oh well, who gave a shit…he needed to answer it and tell whoever was calling to fuck off, he didn't appreciate being roused by a phone call at such an ungodly hour and he was sure Birdperson wouldn't either. If he was even home, that is; five years after allowing Rick to move in with him, the hybrid creature was becoming more and more inclined to crash other places if he knew Rick was out drinking himself into a stupor, a frequent occurrence. Rick never knew exactly why; they'd been friends for so many years, Birdperson knew about Rick's demons all too well. After a while Rick reasoned that just because Birdperson knew, that didn't mean he wanted to be around it. It made Rick feel like a douchebag college roommate, but any trace of guilt tended to dissipate after a few shots of vodka.

Rick fumbled for the phone, finally managing to grasp it after slapping the nightstand twice and smacking his knuckles once. Gritting his teeth through the pain, he picked up the receiver.

Angry response forgotten, the hungover man drawled a simple but exhausted, "Hello?"

There was a pause. Then, _"Dad?"_

Rick was instantly awake.

It couldn't be. It just _couldn't_ be.

He'd dreamed about this so many times, his daughter calling. They'd have the liveliest conversations and Rick always took so much comfort in hearing her voice. The dreams always ended with Beth asking when he was coming back. Rick always woke up before he could answer her. He didn't have an answer anyway.

When he'd left his phone number with her the last time he saw her, he'd expected a phone call almost immediately. He'd felt so guilty about leaving without saying goodbye (again) that he didn't even care if all she wanted to know was when he was coming home. Even if he didn't have an answer, he just wanted to hear her voice and let her know that he was okay.

One year passed, then another. The call never came. The silence grew unbearably deafening.

Five years on, and he'd accepted it. A small part of him had tried to convince himself that she was better off without him. She had a husband and two amazing kids; what did she need her dad for? She'd basically replaced him with another family at this point.

But Rick really hoped he wasn't dreaming now. He swallowed. "Beth?"

 _"Yeah, Dad, it's me. I need to tell you something."_

Rick wasn't sure what to say next. This was the closest contact he'd had with his daughter in half a decade, he didn't want to mess it up.

"O-Oh yeah?" he said casually, propping himself up on the bed with his elbow.

 _"I'm pregnant again."_

Rick's stomach dropped. He definitely wasn't dreaming.

Pregnant. _Again?_

A slew of potential reactions circulated through Rick's mind. God fucking dammit, that fucker Jerry knocked his daughter up for the third time. Was this intentional? Weren't they happy with the two they already had? Did she just find out, or was she already 8 months along and about to burst at the seams? Did she want him to come home when she was ready to pop out the kid? He wasn't sure what kind of position he would be in to come home whenever that was going to happen.

Recognizing the too-long pause for a reaction, Rick internally slapped himself and chose to layer on happiness over all of the anger, confusion, worry, and stress. Beth sounded happy, and hey, one more grandbaby might be kind of nice.

"Oh! Th-th-that's, that's great sweetie!" he replied jovially, wincing when he heard himself. He sounded so fake.

Thankfully, Beth didn't seem to notice. As Rick listened to her ramble on: _("…I only just found out yesterday…this wasn't a planned thing, but we swear this will be our last one…Summer wants a girl, Morty actually doesn't have a preference, he's just excited to be a big brother and he doesn't want to be the youngest anymore…_ ") it gave him more time to process the news. And formulate an appropriate response for what he knew was coming ne-

 _"So do you think you can be here when the baby comes?"_

Shit. He didn't think fast enough.

Because he really didn't know. The baby wouldn't be here for months, and with the tumultuous life he led, he really had no idea where he would be months from now. While there was more than a good chance he'd still be enjoying free room and board from his best friend, there was also a possibility that he would be on some distant planet or remote galaxy on the run from the Galactic Federation…or outside the home of Unity, his old flame, trying to win it back for at the very least a one-night stand…or at the mercy of the Council of Ricks for Rick-related crimes he didn't commit…or just blackout drunk in a bar somewhere.

Rick massaged his temple with his free hand, all this contemplation wasn't doing his migraine any favors. Turning his daughter down always broke his heart as much as it did hers. "Sweetie, I just don't know if I can-"

 _"Dad,"_ Beth interrupted, an uncertain-sounding firmness in her voice.

Rick clammed up. He had a feeling this conversation was going to end much differently than he had anticipated.

Beth took a deep breath and continued. _"I really want you to be here for this. I completely understand you not being here when Summer was born. I do. It was a tough time for all of us and I know you didn't want to contribute to the tension."_ Rick knew she was sugarcoating that; if he had been present for Summer's birth, he would have torn Jerry a new one, then torn his head off.

Beth shakily sighed. _"But you know how traumatic it was when I had Morty. I needed you to be here in our time of need and you weren't."_

Rick's chest tightened. He _really_ didn't want to be reminded of that. He had been living with Unity, in hiding from the Federation, when Morty was born. In his own self-centeredness, he had very little contact with his daughter at that time and therefore didn't know much about his newborn grandson. Beth had told him the whole story when he had visited; Morty was premature and was born not breathing. He had spent weeks in the NICU and miraculously came home unscathed, with no eye problems, brain damage, or any other medical issues common in preemies.

Beth pushed through the awful memories. _"I don't know what the future holds. I don't know what's going to happen over the course of the next nine months, and I know you don't either. But what I do know is that this is going to be my last baby and your last grandchild. This is your final chance to share such an incredible moment with us, and if things…don't go according to plan, I want you to be here to get through it with us. Summer and Morty ask me every week when you're coming back, and I want to be able to tell them that you'll be here when the baby is born, so they can have their new baby brother or sister_ and _their grandpa to look forward to."_

Rick sat back against the wall. None of what his daughter had just said was meant to attack him, but somehow it was just the verbal beatdown he needed.

Reality had just punched him dead in the face. He had two amazing grandkids that he had missed out on from the beginning, and he was about to have one more. One more and that was it. His absolute very last chance to redeem himself to his daughter. He knew that if he didn't show up for this, she would _never_ forgive him.

He knew he had been making excuses for far too long. The next nine months may have been unclear and potentially fraught with danger and hardship, but no intergalactic government, no hiding place, no yearning for sexual release, no threats from a self-hating congress, no enticing alcoholic beverage, and no hostility towards a bitter son-in-law would keep Rick Sanchez from seeing his youngest grandchild.

With all of the sincerity he could summon, Rick answered…

"I'll try, baby. I'll really try."

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 **Keep the reviews coming! They fuel my fingers to write more!**


	3. Chapter 3

**This one's a little long, but I put a lot of heart into it! I hope it shows!**

 **Don't own R &M.**

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The months passed. Beth's anxiety grew bigger than her baby bump, the former lessened occasionally when Summer or Morty came up to give the latter a kiss. When the baby started kicking, they took turns feeling it and marveled at how such a thing could be possible. Summer was overjoyed to be a part of the baby preparations, as she was a toddler when Morty was born and didn't remember much. Morty began eagerly counting the weeks and proudly wore his "Big Brother" t-shirt, a Christmas gift from Jerry's parents, everywhere he went (it took all of the energy Beth had, which frankly wasn't a lot, to convince him to wear a different shirt once in a while so she could wash it).

Beth called Rick every few days. Knowing that her dad really was on the other end of that phone number gave her confidence. He answered almost every time. The few times he didn't, Beth never took it too personally; all the times he _did_ answer made up for it. She'd update him on her pregnancy ("Baby's kicking up a storm now…no, we haven't found out what we're having yet…"), update him on the kids ("Fourth and first grade…where did the time go?"), and reiterate her excitement on seeing him again ("I'll call as soon as my water breaks! We're so excited to see you!"). She had long stopped asking for a confirmation that he was coming, but when she said things like that, it just made it seem more real. Even if he did remind her that he was really going to try.

As much as it annoyed and confused Jerry that his wife would want to maintain contact with the man who abandoned her (twice), in time he came to accept it, hoping against hope that his father-in-law had changed and that Beth's heart wouldn't get broken again.

* * *

After grappling with whether or not to wait until the baby's birth to find out the sex, then grappling with some creative way to tell the kids if they were getting a brother or sister, Beth and Jerry ultimately decided to just bring the kids along to the mid-pregnancy ultrasound so they could all find out together.

The kids were fascinated by the ultrasonography process, but their impatience was showing. Almost as soon as the baby was visible and pointed out to them on the sonogram screen, Morty asked, "Is it a boy or a girl?"

The kind technician smiled and looked at Beth and Jerry. "Do we want to know?"

Beth smiled and glanced at her daughter, her hands folded together in expectation, and her son, biting his lower lip with his eyes as wide as pancakes.

"I think we do," she answered, taking Jerry by the hand. "Everybody hold hands."

Summer eagerly took her father's other hand and Morty reciprocated, slipping his small fingers into his sister's open hand.

Everyone held their breath as the technician studied the screen.

Finally when it seemed like all four of the Smiths were going to pass out and/or squeeze the life out of each other, the technician looked at Summer and Morty and announced with a smile, "Looks like you guys are getting a little sister!"

Summer immediately released the hands of her father and brother to pump her fists in the air and shriek a thunderous **_"YES!"_** Morty, happy with the results because either way he was going to be a big brother, jumped up and down and clapped his hands excitedly.

Jerry closed in on his wife, who had tears of joy streaming down her face. He planted kisses all over her forehead and knuckles. Beth gave a wobbly smile and looked at the ultrasound.

"Another granddaughter for you, Dad…" she whispered.

She called Rick as soon as they got home.

He didn't answer.

* * *

Three weeks went by, and Rick still didn't know that he was getting another granddaughter. Pregnancy hormones compelled Beth to call every day, sometimes twice a day.

At night, Jerry held Beth as she cried and he furiously prayed that whatever the hell was going on, Rick would get his shit together in time for his youngest grandchild's arrival. He did his best to comfort Beth, warning her that too much stress wasn't good for the baby.

After a month, Beth gave up. She vowed not to call again until the baby arrived.

Around the 7-month mark, Jerry's parents arrived. With two active and busy kids and one more on the way (and Rick nowhere in sight), two extra pairs of hands were welcome and needed. As overjoyed as the kids were to see their Grandma Joyce and Grandpa Leonard again, Morty couldn't help but ask his mother as she tucked him in that night, "So when's Grandpa Rick gonna get here?"

Beth bit her lip as pulled the comforter up to her son's chin. "Soon, honey," she said with as much confidence as she could slather on. "He should be here by the time the baby arrives." The way Morty's little face lit up filled Beth with guilt. She felt like she was lying. She really didn't know if her dad was coming, or not coming…or if he was even alive.

* * *

6000 light years away, Rick was still very much alive and, against his wishes, very much sober.

After catching wind that the Galactic Federation had a lead on him, Rick had fled to Planet Squanch where he had indefinitely moved into the underground bunker of his close pal Squanchy. No one knew where he was except for Squanchy and Birdperson, who also went into hiding with close relatives just to be on the safe side but told Rick that he was more than welcome back in his home once this blew over.

Squanchy brought Rick food and (when he could) alcohol. While Rick was grateful, it was never enough and he spent many a restless night riding out fierce withdrawal symptoms.

His days were spent sleeping, and worrying. Sleep kept the worries at bay, but without the constant stream of alcohol to keep him out, Rick never slept very long; only a few hours at a time and then he was up and worrying himself sick again.

He was worried about his family. He'd had to move quickly, so he hadn't had a chance to pick up the phone and let his daughter know that he was going away for a while. He worried about how many times she had called, and if she was angry at him. He wondered how the baby was doing, always ignoring the gnawing ache in his stomach because he didn't know if he was getting a granddaughter or grandson. He thought about the kids, and how disappointed they'd be if he didn't show up when the baby arrived. He internally raged thinking about Jerry, because, well, Jerry.

Rick hadn't brought much with him to the bunker, but there was one thing he always kept close at hand that quelled his fury and anxiety and calmed him down; a little pocket calendar. Rick looked at it at least once every day, and it became his visual sedative. But it was one date in particular that had this soothing effect on him.

Whenever his emotions got out of control, Rick would fish the calendar out of his lab coat and flip to the date Beth had given him, the one he'd circled in bright red.

It was labeled: **"G-Baby #3 due!"**

It reminded him to stay strong. No matter what obstacles he faced, he had a family back home that was waiting for him. He was going to get home and see this baby if it was the last thing he did.

It was the reason he was still alive.

* * *

That reason for Rick to live had now logged over 8 and a half months in the womb. Beth's stomach had swelled to such ginormity that it prompted Morty to ask, "Are you sure there's just _one_ baby in there?"

Beth had entered a state of perpetual exhaustion that had yet to cease. Her in-laws were a godsend; they dropped the kids off at school in the mornings and picked them up in the afternoons, they made dinner almost every night, and when Beth's feet were too swollen to fit into any pair of shoes she owned, they took over running errands. Beth felt guilty that everyone felt the need to make such a fuss over her, but she was ever grateful for all of the extra help and she would miss it when Joyce and Leonard left.

The kids' excitement grew as the big day neared. They were more attached to the baby bump than ever before. Morty always found an excuse to cuddle up to his mom so he could drape an arm over the bump and feel his baby sister kick. Summer always made sure to give the bump a kiss whenever she gave her mother a hug. While Beth was overjoyed that her kids were so eager to meet their sister, a nauseating twinge in the pit of her stomach refused to go away as she knew that the baby wasn't the only person the kids were expecting soon.

She tried to stop thinking about, but reached her breaking point after putting Summer to bed one night and hearing her whisper, "Please come soon" as she put a small hand on the bulge that was the baby.

Beth whispered these same words to the night sky as she stood on the balcony, Jerry waiting for her in bed.

* * *

After four months in the bunker, the Federation closed their reopened investigation and Rick was once again free. He and the guys decided to commemorate their liberation by spending the evening at a bar owned by a close friend of theirs who had ways of making sure no one reported the felonious trio to the Federation if they had a mind to.

Rick was hammered before he even left the house. The moment he'd gotten back he had torn into Birdperson's liquor cabinet, and was a giggling, swaying mess by the time he portaled into the bar. The rest of the evening was drowned in more alcohol, a few illicit alien substances here and there, and a dash of promiscuous female-type humanoids that Rick probably had his way with (his full lucidity was gone by 9 o'clock).

At midnight, his portal gun ran out of charge. Birdperson carried his intoxicated roommate home on his back.

* * *

Back on Earth, it was also midnight.

Beth's water broke on her way to the bathroom.

The house was immediately abuzz with activity. The kids were roused, bags were packed, Leonard ran out to warm up the car, and Beth feebly hollered at Summer to call Grandpa Rick.

Morty, tired from being woken up in the middle of the night and confused from the frantic goings-on, began to cry. Grandma Joyce held him in her arms and stroked his back, gently reassuring him that his mother and baby sister were both going to be alright.

Ten minutes later, Beth, Jerry, and Leonard were pulling out of the driveway. Joyce was going to stay home with the kids, hopefully get them back to sleep, and then get them up and off to school in the morning. Although Summer had begged to go along to the hospital, Jerry promised that she and Morty would get to meet their baby sister soon. Joyce eventually got them both back to bed.

As the hospital came into view, tears filled Beth's eyes.

"Please come soon…" she whispered for the final time.

* * *

Rick woke well after lunch to a splitting headache and an annoying beeping sound.

Sitting up and downing the aspirin left next to his bed by none other than Birdperson (something told Rick he owed Birdperson big time), he slowly regained his senses as he tried to gather memories from the previous night, and could not. It was hard to think with that beeping going on every 10 seconds.

Groaning and putting his head in his hands, Rick wished aspirin didn't take 20 whole minutes to kick in. He'd heard about a dimension somewhere that had manufactured an ibuprofen that relieved pain instantaneously, but of course no one seemed to know which dimension it was. He'd find out someday. If he was gonna have another wild and crazy night, he would need to. GOD WHERE WAS THAT FUCKING BEEPING COMING FROM?!

Shooting his head up out of his hands (and wincing from the head rush), Rick finally registered the continuous beep as an alert from the phone.

A voicemail alert.

Wait a second…

Oh shit.

Ignoring the still-present throbbing in his head, Rick scrambled for the phone and jabbed the "play" button. An automated voice proclaimed: _"You have…one…new message."_ What he heard next made his heart stop.

 _"Hi Grandpa Rick! It's Summer! Mommy's water broke, so we're gonna go to the hospital so she can have the baby. We don't know why you're not here yet but we can't wait to see you! We love you!"_

Rick felt as though all of his blood had stopped flowing. He frantically hit another button, and the automated voice that was almost mocking informed him that that voicemail had been left twelve hours ago.

He had to get to them. Now.

Rick shot out of bed and was fully dressed in less than 15 seconds. He roughly ran his fingers through his hair, having deemed his hair un-brushable years ago. Taking a swig of mouthwash, he vigorously swished it around his halitosis-ridden mouth as he beelined for the satchel where he always stored his portal gun after a long night.

It wasn't there.

Rick tore his bed apart, accidentally dribbling some mouthwash on his pillow in the process, but it wasn't there either.

Birdperson hadn't emerged from his room to see what the commotion was about, so Rick could only assume he wasn't home. This left the scientist stranded. Hoping against hope that his roommate _was_ home and merely sleeping through this, Rick spit the mouthwash into the bathroom sink and ran from room to room looking for him.

"BIRDPERSON!" Rick shouted. "This is an emergency! Have you seen my por-"

Birdperson was nowhere to be found. But Rick did find his portal gun.

At the kitchen table, fully charged, the coordinates of the hospital already typed in.

Rick fell to his knees. He did not deserve Birdperson as a roommate or a friend.

* * *

 **A/N: Just so none of you are confused, Rick went to the bunker when Beth was five months pregnant, so he was there right up until the baby's due date.**

 **Baby's on her way! Stay tuned!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Y'all didn't think I was gone forever, didja?**

 **Still don't own RM. Curses.**

* * *

Isabel Renee Smith arrived at 9:32 that morning, happy, healthy, and right on time.

Beth was exhausted, but otherwise fine. Her first moments with baby Isabel after giving birth even made her forget all about her father's absence. As the tiny, pink, brand-new human was laid on her chest and attempted to nurse for the first time, tears of joy leaked from Beth's eyes. After roughly half a decade she had forgotten what it was like to hold a baby. How wonderful it was.

Isabel's name had been privately chosen by Beth and Jerry a few days prior (the kids already knew that they were getting a sister, so the parents wanted to at least surprise them with the name).

Summer and Morty went to school practically bursting with the news that their baby sister was officially on her way. Grandma Joyce picked them up and signed them out at lunchtime to take them to the hospital, knowing that they wouldn't last the rest of the school day. On the drive to the hospital, the two curious siblings endlessly bounced in their seats, asking every question under the sun about their new baby sister.

"What color is her hair?"

"Does she even _have_ hair?"

"What color are her eyes?"

"How big is she?"

"Can we hold her?"

"What's her name?"

Joyce fully answered every question except that last one. "Mommy and Daddy named her, you'll find out when we get there!"

Meanwhile at the hospital, Beth was propped up in bed, Isabel in her arms, a somber look on her face. She hadn't seen hide or hair of her father and Jerry had halfheartedly tried to buoy her spirits with reminders that the kids would be here soon and eager to meet their baby sister.

When the kids finally did arrive, they suddenly found themselves very shy and unsure, as Joyce gently ushered them in. Though they knew other kids with baby siblings, they really didn't have much experience with babies.

Beth, attempting to shake her sadness, smiled warmly at her older children. "Hey guys," she quietly greeted. "There's somebody we want you to meet."

Summer tentatively stepped forward and Morty nervously glanced up at Grandma Joyce, who smiled and nodded before placing a gentle hand on his back to signify that it was okay. Trailing behind his older sister, Morty approached the hospital bed and stood next to her on tiptoe. A small munchkin was cradled in Beth's arms, and Summer and Morty could just barely make out a tiny face nestled into their mother's left breast.

Beth smiled at her curious kids. "She's nursing." Summer smiled, while Morty's eyes grew wide with wonder.

Silently, they watched until the nursling was finished. Beth covered herself before gently shifting the baby into full view of her big sister and big brother. "Summer, Morty," she introduced, "this is your baby sister, Isabel Renee."

Summer's cheeks flooded pink with excitement as she swooned. "Isabel…" she breathed. "That's a pretty name."

Morty thought so too, but he had something else on his mind. "Can we hold her?"

Beth chuckled. "Yes, big brother, you can. Go sit in that chair next to the bed and Daddy will show you how."

Morty eagerly took a seat, his heart bursting at the fact that his "big brother" title was now official. Isabel was transferred to Jerry, who brought her over to Morty and showed the six-year-old how to properly support her head and neck. Summer sat in the chair next to them and watched carefully, taking note of her father's instructions so she would know what to do when it was her turn.

Once Isabel was settled in Morty's arms, the first grader finally got a good look at his new baby sister. His mouth fell open as he took her in. He'd never seen a baby this close before. Everything about her fascinated him: her smooth pink skin, her impossibly tiny hands, her soft snuffly breaths. She seemed much too small and too new to even be a person, and yet she was.

Morty was so lost in trying to wrap his young mind around everything that Jerry had to snap him back to reality. "Okay, let's give Summer a turn," he encouraged, reaching for Isabel.

Morty didn't want to release his new sister yet but reluctantly handed her over to his father, who then transferred her to an eager Summer. The nine-year-old was grinning from ear to ear as she experienced the moment she'd been waiting months and months for. She touched one of Isabel's tiny fists and whispered, "Hi Izzy…"

Morty leaned over the arm of the chair so he could continue looking at Isabel while still letting Summer have a turn to hold her. Beth's eyes welled up with tears as she watched her three children meet each other for the first time, chuckling at Morty straining to see Isabel's face past Summer's head. "Do you like her, Morty?" Beth asked. The boy nodded mutely, not daring to look away from where his gaze was fixed on the baby.

Summer glanced up at her mother with a toothy grin. "She's so cute, Mom!" she squealed.

Beth laughed. "She is cute, isn't she?"

Summer sighed contentedly and shifted her gaze back to the bundle in her arms. "I can't believe she's gonna be ours forever," she said dreamily. Morty shared her feelings, but was still too fixated on the little person who made him a big brother to say anything. He leaned his head on Summer's shoulder as Jerry snapped a photo of this sweet moment.

* * *

Rick practically threw himself into the portal and onto the hospital parking lot, keeping a steady hold of his portal gun as he did so. Not even stopping to see if anyone had noticed, the scientist dashed into the front doors and straight up to the receptionist.

"Hi," he rasped, worn out from his rushed journey. He was so close. "I'm here to see my daughter, Beth Smith? She just had her baby and I came as quick as I could."

The receptionist checked her records before informing Rick that his daughter was in Room 221 and giving him brief directions. Rick thanked her and made his way towards the door with the banner that read _"Birthing Center"_. He was so fucking close.

When he finally reached Room 221, Rick had to stop for a moment and breathe. Whatever, _who_ ever was behind that door, he had to compose himself and be prepared. He was here to support his daughter and see his final grandbaby, and that was the fact of the matter.

After a few deep breaths, Rick slowly let himself in.

He was greeted by the sight of his daughter in her hospital bed, nursing a baby tucked in her arms. No one else was present. His hands began to tremble. This was it. He was finally here.

As he had opened the door so quietly, Beth didn't even notice her father's entrance. Rick gently called out, "Beth."

Beth's heart stopped as that familiar voice she hadn't heard in months called out her name. She turned her head to the door and her eyes instantly filled with tears as her mouth fell open. It took everything in her to contain herself so as not to disturb the baby. Her daddy was home. She covered her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut. She was so overcome with emotion she couldn't speak.

Rick smiled and approached the bed. "Hey sweetie," he said quietly as he kissed her forehead. "How are you doing?"

Beth wiped her eyes and sighed into a small wet laugh. "It doesn't get any easier, no matter how many times you give birth."

Rick chuckled. "I don't think childbirth is supposed to ever be easy."

Beth shook her head. "Thank God for epidurals."

Rick looked up at the empty room. "Where are the kids?"

"Jerry took them out for ice cream, it was the only way they'd give me and the baby some space," Beth answered, glancing down at the little one finishing up nursing in her arms. "Speaking of which…" she added, covering herself and shifting the blanket. "I think Isabel's ready to meet her grandpa."

Rick's face lit up and he broke out into a warm smile. _Isabel._ What a beautiful name.

His hands shook as he slowly reached for the fragile little baby that Beth was gently handing off to him. He hadn't held a baby since his last visit with Morty, and he hadn't held a newborn since his own daughter's birth. He was definitely nervous.

Rick had cleansed himself with a full-body sanitizer from Birdperson's kitchen before coming, so physically, he was ready. Emotionally, he wasn't so sure.

As if she could read his mind, Rick noticed that Beth gave him an understanding and encouraging smile, telling him it was okay.

Rick gently took Isabel into his arms and sat in the rocking chair next to the bed. He pulled back the blanket and got his first look at his newborn granddaughter.

The world around him seemed to shut off and then disappear entirely. This was the first time since his daughter's birth that Rick had seen a newborn baby in all of their newborn glory. And he didn't want to miss a single detail again. He had forgotten what it felt like to hold a brand-new person, one who looked so impossibly small (wow, could a human being really be _this_ small?). The intellectual side that took over most of Rick's psyche was teeming with eagerness, she was so new and he had so much to tell her. But there was also an emotional portion that poked its head out to have its turn at discovery, and was filled to the brim with joy and love; she was so little and sweet and he just wanted to enjoy her all that he could. And maybe there was a tiny hint of sadness…his own baby girl had been this little once, and oh how he wanted that time back.

Isabel's eyes were a piercing shade of blue. They mesmerized Rick.

Beth watched with nothing but adoration. At that moment, she honestly did not care how long her dad was staying this time, if he was even planning to stay awhile. All she had wanted from the moment she found out she was pregnant again was for her father to be here to meet the baby, and that prayer was being answered right this very minute. She reveled in the moment. Not a word was spoken between them for a time. There was only love.

When Isabel's captivating irises locked with Rick's, he smiled warmly.

"Hey there, kiddo," he whispered. "I'm your Grandpa Rick."

* * *

 **Thanks for your reviews, all! More to come!**


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